This gallery: Fishes, Sharks, Rays, and Skates, known as Elasmobranchii, consists of fishes without a bony skeleton. They are Chondrichthyes: or cartilaginous fishes. Chimaera, or Holocephali, would also fall into this group.

I generally do not seek out sharks, but they are commonly seen when SCUBA diving, and I have even touched some types of shark, whose skin feels much like sandpaper. Sharks are so popular with divers that many dive operators conduct shark dives when they...more »

This gallery: Fishes, Sharks, Rays, and Skates, known as Elasmobranchii, consists of fishes without a bony skeleton. They are Chondrichthyes: or cartilaginous fishes. Chimaera, or Holocephali, would also fall into this group.

I generally do not seek out sharks, but they are commonly seen when SCUBA diving, and I have even touched some types of shark, whose skin feels much like sandpaper. Sharks are so popular with divers that many dive operators conduct shark dives when they chum to attract them. Often these sharks will hang around the areas they have been fed in the past, and you can dive near them in a less frenzied state. Others simply prefer to hang out around particular ship wrecks or sleep under favorite ledges. They are more active at night.

It is important to distinguish sharks and other Elasmobranchii from other fishes in that they do not reproduce in the quantity that bony fishes do, some bearing live offspring. Therefore, they deserve special conservation considerations.

Sharks and their relatives are the most graceful animals I have ever observed.« less